Report  of  the  Mayor’s 
Committee 


on 

Race  Relations 

DETROIT,  MICHIGAN 


Embodying  findings  and  recommendations 
based  upon  a survey  of  race  conditions 
in  the  city,  undertaken  in  1926 


Mayor’s  Race  Committee 


Rev.  Reinhold  Niebuhr,  Chairman. 

Pastor,  Bethel  Evangelical  Church 

Bishop  William  T.  Vernon.  Vice-Chairman 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

Dr.  E.  A.  Carter,  Secretary 

Physician 

Fred  M.  Butzel 

Lawyer,  Butzel,  Levin  and  Winston 

Fred  G.  Dewey 

Lawyer,  Campbell,  Dewey,  Stanton  and  Bushnell 

Frederick  C.  Gilbert 

President  Vulcan  Mfg.  Co. 

Donald  J.  Marshall 

Employment  Officer,  Ford  Motor  Co. 

W.  Hayes  McKinney 

Lawyer 

Mrs.  Charles  Novak 
Mrs.  C.  S.  Smith 
Walter  H.  Stowers 

Lawyer 

Jefferson  B.  Webb 


Introductory 


The  following  findings  and  recommendations  of  the 
Mayor’s  committee1  on  race  relations  ar  based  on  a survey 
made  for  the  committee  by  the  Detroit  Bureau  of  Govern- 
mental Research.  The  immediate  occasion  for  the  work  of 
the  committee  was  a series  of  race  difficulties  in  the  summer 
and  fall  of  1925.  Since  the  World  War  the  colored  population 
of  the  city  has  grown  from  10,000  to  80,000.  The  rapid  ex- 
pansion of  the  colored  community  has  created  so  many  social 
problems  involving  all  sections  of  the  community  that  it  was 
felt  that  these  problems  could  be  faced  intelligently  only  if 
the  detailed  facts  could  be  ascertained.  The  survey  was  made 
in  the  summer  months  of  1926.  Both  funds  and  time  were 
limited  so  that  the  survey  is  not  by  any  means  exhaustive. 
It  did,  however,  give  the  committee  and  will  give  the  public 
a fair  and  more  adequate  picture  of  race  conditions  in  the 
city  than  has  been  available  hitherto.  Since  the  completion 
of  the  survey  the  committee  has  met  weekly  and  these  find- 
ings and  recommendations  are  the  fruit  of  its  deliberations. 
While  the  committee  has  arrived  at  many  specific  recom- 
mendations involving  official  policy  and  governmental  action 
it  has  always  been  conscious  of  the  fact  that  the  final  solu- 
tion of  all  the  problems  which  have  been  revealed  must  wait 
upon  the  cultivation  of  better  understanding  and  the  diminu- 
tion of  prejudice  in  the  public  at  large.  The  committee  hopes 
that  its  efforts  may  finally  issue  in  the  organization  of  a per- 
manent race  commission  which  will  enlist  the  cooperation  of 
colored  and  white  leaders  in  the  city.  Such  a commission 
would  have  the  double  task  of  initiating  educational  projects 
through  clubs,  schools  and  churches  by  which  better  feeling 
between  the  races  will  be  created ; and  of  exercising  vigilance 
over  the  policies  of  public  and  semi-public  agencies  in  order 
that  the  conscience  of  the  community  may  be  focused  upon 
and  work  for  the  elimination  of  the  causes  of  race  friction  and 
race  discrimination  as  they  are  revealed  from  time  to  time  in 
the  life  of  the  city. 


-3- 


Housing 


1.  The  demand  for  an  Interracial  Committee  grew  out  of 
an  unfortunate  series  of  clashes  between  the  races  in  this  city, 
which  was  due  to  the  inevitable  and  necessary  expansion  of 
the  Negro  community.  The  situation  is,  therefore,  sufficiently 
charged  with  emotion  to  make  it  improbable  that  any  recom- 
mendations of  this  Committee  will  meet  the  unqualified  favor 
of  extremists  on  either  side.  The  constitutional  rights  of  the 
Negro  have  been  bought  at  too  high  a price  to  make  any 
suggestion  which  might  seem  to  imperil  these  rights  accept- 
able either  to  the  colored  or  to  fair-minded  white  people.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  mere  insistence  on  legal  rights  will  not 
avail  to  solve  the  acute  housing  problem  which  faces  the  com- 
munity in  general  and  the  Negro  community  in  particular. 
The  task  of  the  Committee,  as  it  conceives  it,  is  therefore,  to 
suggest  solutions  which,  while  not  imperiling  legal  rights,  will 
also  not  ignore  the  cultivated  or  instinctive  race  prejudices  of 
large  sections  of  the  community  or  the  fear  that  race  migra- 
tions may  result  in  loss  of  real  estate  values,  as  real  factors 
in  the  situation. 

2.  Our  survey  shows  conclusively  that  in  many  instances 
where  the  colored  population  filtered  into  white  residential 
sections  making  them  ultimately  colored  sections,  there  was 
no  loss  of  real  estate  value  and  in  many  cases  the  rentals  and 
sale  prices  increased.  We  believe  that  frequently  where  prop- 
erty depreciation  does  occur  it  is  due  to  the  expectation  that 
it  will  occur,  that  is,  the  hysteria  in  the  neighborhood  in  which 
the  penetration  has  begun  causes  many  homes  to  be  thrown 
upon  the  market  and  depreciation  becomes  inevitable.  In 
many  instances  where  infiltration  is  slow,  colored  persons  are 
accepted  by  the  white  neighbors  in  a friendly,  even  though 
somewhat  formal  manner.  When  a colored  family  moves 
into  a white  neighborhood  the  outcome  seems  to  depend  upon 
the  character  and  attitude  of  the  nearest  neighbors.  If  such 
white  neighbors  are  tolerant  and  civil,  the  resulting  situation 
is  not  bad;  if,  however,  without  any  attempt  to  appraise  the 
colored  people  as  individuals,  an  antagonistic  attitude  is  as- 
sumed by  the  whites,  or  if  the  particular  colored  family  of- 
fends against  the  established  standards  of  the  neighborhood, 
friction  is  inevitable. 

3.  A general  campaign  of  education  is  necessary  to  urge 
on  colored  people  the  special  desirability  of  keeping  their 
houses  painted  and  their  yards  in  attractive  condition  so  that 
colored  sections  should  compare  favorably  with  sections  occu- 
pied by  white  persons  of  corresponding  economic  status.  A 
similar  emphasis  upon  the  personal  appearance  and  demeanor 
of  colored  people  and  their  children  is  equally  desirable. 


4.  Peoples  of  various  races  have  a natural  tendency  to 
live  in  their  own  communities  and  this  tendency  is  on  the 
whole  conducive  to  community  peace.  If  Negroes  seem  in- 
clined to  move  into  white  districts  it  is  frequently  due  to 
their  desire  to  gain  equal  civic  facilities  with  whites.  When 
streets  in  Negro  districts  are  kept  in  repair  as  they  are  in  white 
districts  and  when  equal  sanitary,  educational  and  other  facili- 
ties are  made  available  for  them,  there  will  be  a more  general 
tendency  on  their  part  to  remain  where  they  are  or  when  they 
move  to  expand  by  group  rather  than  by  individual  action. 
If  this  general  tendency  is  to  be  encouraged  it  is  particularly 
important  that  Negro  centers  be  freed  from  vice  and  crime 
conditions  by  proper  police  action. 

5.  In  order  to  make  the  acquisition  and  maintenance  of 
good  standards  of  Negro  housing  possible,  it  is  necessary  for 
banking  and  loaning  institutions  to  be  more  liberal  in  their 
attitude  towards  Negro  loans.  In  justice  to  the  banks  it  must 
be  said  that  property  occupied  by  Negroes  has  frequently  been 
dilapidated  or  in  sections  already  deteriorated  before  the 
Negro  influx.  Furthermore,  there  is  a natural  fear  that  the 
Negro  influx  might  depreciate  property  values  in  white  sec- 
tions. When  it  is  once  clearly  shown  that  Negroes  are  mov- 
ing in  groups  and  taking  especially  good  care  of  their  homes 
and  that  the  City  Government  is  keeping  up  standards  of 
sanitation,  policing  and  schooling  in  Negro  districts,  it  is  quite 
probable  that  the  banks  will  cooperate  more  willingly  in  assist- 
ing Negroes  to  own  their  own  homes  and  acquire  real  estate. 

6.  The  responsibility  for  encouraging  Negro  groups  in 
the  proper  care  of  their  property  and  for  exercising  vigilance 
upon  governmental  agencies  that  flagrant  neglect  of  Negro 
districts  may  be  prevented  should  rest  upon  a permanent  com- 
mittee of  white  and  colored  persons,  about  which  we  expect 
to  make  further  recommendations. 

7.  At  the  present  time  it  is  especially  desirable  that  the 
authorities  without  delay  take  cognizance  of  the  unsanitary 
conditions  prevailing  in  some  Negro  subdivisions,  particularly 
in  the  Eight  Mile  district  where  there  is  neither  adequate 
water  supply  nor  sewage  disposal.  Many  of  the  dwellings  in 
the  St.  Antoine  district  are  unsanitary  beyond  redemption. 
The  Board  of  Health,  which  is  at  present  making  a special 
survey  in  this  district,  should  have  the  hearty  support  of  the 
administration  and  the  public  should  it  decide  to  condemn  and 
raze  some  of  the  buildings  in  this  district.  The  committee 
hereinbefore  indicated  should  assist  in  finding  homes  for  fam- 
ilies rendered  homeless  by  such  condemnation  and  razing. 


- 5 - 


8.  Because  of  the  urgency  for  the  need  of  better  housing 
among  Negroes,  we  suggest  that  the  city  administration  sur- 
vey the  possibility  of  a housing  scheme  designed  to  offer  credit 
facilities  to  home  builders  of  such  small  income  that  their 
building  enterprises  offer  no  attraction  to  commercial  bankers 
and  builders. 

9.  Large  industrial  concerns  would  find  it  profitable  to 
interest  themselves  in  the  housing  of  their  employees  and 
encouragement  should  be  given  to  Negroes  working  in  large 
factories  to  obtain  housing  near  their  work.  Some  of  them 
at  present,  spend  as  much  as  four  hours  a day  travelling  to 
and  from  their  work  and  waste  energy  that  could  be  better 
devoted  to  improve  efficiency  in  the  factory  and  in  the  home. 


- 6 — 


Crime  and  Police 


1.  It  is  obvious  from  our  report  that  general  prejudices 
from  which  minority  races  throughout  the  world  suffer  at  the 
hands  of  the  majorities  are  operative  in  this  city,  coloring  the 
minds  both  of  the  public  and  of  the  officials  who  are  charged 
with  the  administration  of  justice,  so  that  exact  and  even  jus- 
tice for  the  members  of  the  minority  race  (in  this  case  the 
Negroes)  is  still  an  unattained  ideal. 

2.  The  percentage  of  Negro  crime  is  unquestionably  higher 
than  the  average  crime  rate  of  the  city.  Undoubtedly  this  is 
partially  due  to  the  incomplete  adjustment  of  the  recent  south- 
ern immigrant  to  the  industrial  urban  life  of  the  north.  The 
great  proportion  of  single  men  and  women  among  the  recent 
migrants  and  the  consequent  instability  of  home  life,  over- 
crowding and  lack  of  facilities  for  wholesome  social  life, 
poverty  and  illiteracy,  all  these  social  and  economic  factors 
contribute  to  a high  crime  rate  which  the  superficial  observer 
will  attribute  solely  to  racial  factors.  The  problem  of  reduc- 
ing crime  in  the  colored  community  is  therefore  only  partly 
one  which  pertains  to  the  courts  and  the  police.  The  decrease 
in  lawlessness  in  the  Negro  community  must  finally  wait  upon 
a completer  adjustment  of  the  newer  migrant  to  the  social 
conditions  of  the  city,  to  the  establishment  of  stable  home  life, 
to  the  integration  of  the  Negro  into  the  industrial  life  of  the 
city,  to  the  raising  of  educational  standards  and  the  elimina- 
tion of  abject  poverty.  A large  number  of  Negro  crimes  are 
undoubtedly  crimes  of  passion  rather  than  crimes  of  premedi- 
tation. The  lack  of  emotional  stability  to  which  this  points 
will  undoubtedly  be  gradually  eliminated  as  the  cultural  and 
educational  standards  of  the  race  rise. 

3.  There  is  evidence  that  in  many  cases  Negroes  are 
treated  with  undue  severity,  not  to  say  brutality,  by  the  police. 
The  assumption  among  many  police  officers,  that  Negro  crim- 
inals offer  a special  peril  to  the  life  of  the  officer  and  that  con- 
sideration of  self-defense,  therefore,  justify  unusually  percipi- 
tate  action  in  firing  upon  Negro  criminals,  is  not  borne  out  by 
the  facts.  This  unjustified  assumption  has  resulted  in  need- 
less loss  of  life  on  occasion  of  Negro  arrests.  This  condition 
will  probably  not  be  remedied  without  much  greater  vigilance 
on  the  part  of  the  department  in  disciplining  officers  guilty  of 
unwarranted  brutality.  There  is  some  evidence  that  the 
prosecutor’s  office  is  unduly  lenient  in  exonerating  police  of- 
ficers who  have  killed  persons  in  the  process  of  arrest.  While 
we  recognize  the  difficulties  confronting  the  prosecutor’s  office 
in  investigating  the  killing  of  criminals  and  alleged  criminals 


- 7 - 


by  the  police,  we  feel  that  greater  care  must  be  taken  in  in- 
vestigating such  killings  and  initiating  prosecution  where  the 
facts  warrant. 

4.  Contrary  to  a general  impression  in  the  colored  com- 
munity the  number  of  officers  of  Southern  birth  and  heritage 
has  not  been  unusually  high  in  the  Negro  districts,  nor  can 
such  officers,  according  to  our  evidence,  be  held  responsible  in 
an  undue  proportion  of  the  cases  in  which  officers  shot  colored 
people.  Nevertheless  we  recommend  that  the  police  depart- 
ment formulate  a policy  of  excluding  from  precincts  in  which 
colored  people  predominate,  officers  whose  social  background 
or  previous  history  prompt  them  to  an  undue  measure  of  race 
prejudice.  We  further  believe  that  it  might  be  wise  policy 
for  the  department  to  investigate  the  personal  bias  of  officers 
it  intends  to  use  in  colored  districts. 

5.  The  number  of  colored  policemen  in  the  Detroit  De- 
partment is  unusually  low.  Until  recently  there  were  only  14. 
The  cities  of  Boston,  St.  Louis,  Chicago.  Pittsburg  and  Los 
Angeles  have  from  two  to  nine  times  as  many  Negro  officers 
in  proportion  to  the  force  as  Detroit.  It  would  be  a distinct 
advantage  to  increase  this  number  materially.  The  experi- 
ence of  other  cities,  so  far  as  we  are  able  to  ascertain,  does  not 
justify  the  belief  that  Negro  officers  are  unduly  lenient  with 
Negro  criminals.  On  the  other  hand  the  employment  of 
Negro  officers  in  Negro  districts  excludes  the  factor  of  race 
prejudice  both  in  the  minds  of  the  public  and  among  the  police 
of  cases  of  conflict  between  police  and  Negro  persons.  Fur- 
thermore, the  employment  of  a larger  number  of  Negro  Of- 
ficers would  improve  the  morale  of  our  rapidly  growing  Negro 
population. 

6.  Our  study  shows  considerable  variation  in  the  outcome 
of  Negro  cases  before  the  courts  in  both  felony  and  misde- 
meanor cases  and  the  proportion  of  Negro  convictions  in  some 
courts  is  seemingly  high.  This  fact  would  seem  to  warrant 
the  conclusion  that  there  is  a lack  of  adequate  consideration 
both  on  the  part  of  juries  and  judges.  Some  unfairness  is  un- 
doubtedly the  result  of  a lack  of  adequate  legal  counsel  owing 
to  the  poverty  of  the  ordinary  Negro  defendant.  The  facts 
cannot  be  established  with  sufficient  clarity  to  warrant  a 
recommendation. 

7.  We  call  the  attention  of  the  Community  Union  to  the 
fact  that  inadequate  institutional  facilities  for  delinquent  girls 
creates  a special  problem  in  the  case  of  colored  delinquent 
girls. 


- 8 - 


Business  and  Thrift 


1.  In  view  of  the  size  of  the  city  and  the  numerical  strength 
of  the  colored  population,  home  ownership  and  business  en- 
terprise among  colored  people  is  disproportionately  low.  The 
rapid  expansion  of  the  colored  community  through  recent  mi- 
gration undoubtedly  accounts  for  this  fact.  It  would  be  an 
advantage  both  to  the  city  and  to  the  colored  community  if 
home  ownership  with  its  responsibilities  were  encouraged. 

2.  The  banks  have  no  special  facilities  for  dealing  with 
colored  credit  applicants  and  determining  upon  their  responsi- 
bility and  honesty.  This,  together  with  the  fear  of  shifting 
real  estate  values  have  made  the  banks  slow  to  grant  loans 
in  the  colored  districts.  If  home  ownership  is  to  be  encour- 
aged it  is  necessary  that  the  banks  pursue  a more  generous 
pol icy . Some  branch  managers  in  colored  districts  are  render- 
ing a splendid  service  by  seeking  out  the  more  responsible 
and  capable  customers  and  helping  them  to  lay  the  foundation 
for  bank  credit.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  such  a policy  will  be 
more  generally  adopted  and  encouraged  by  the  banks  of  the 
city.  It  will  contribute  much  to  the  stabilization  of  the  col- 
ored population  and  the  development  of  leadership.  More- 
over, the  more  general  employment  of  trained  colored  help 
would  probably  develop  and  encourage  Negro  business  for 
the  banks. 

3.  There  seems  to  be  an  almost  universal  complaint  on  the 
part  of  the  banks  that  negro  accounts  are  overactive.  There 
are  many  instances  of  savings  accounts  opened  on  one  pay- 
day and  closed  before  the  next  pay-day,  thus  greatly  increas- 
ing bookkeeping  expense.  This  practice  greatly  prejudices 
the  standing  of  negroes  in  the  eyes  of  bankers.  Colored  or- 
ganizations might  well  devote  some  attention  to  the  task  of 
teaching  their  members  correct  methods  of  banking.  If  de- 
positors are  taught  to  maintain  their  accounts  indefinitely  and 
discouraged  from  withdrawing  the  entire  account  when  money 
is  needed,  the  relation  between  banks  and  colored  customers 
will  be  greatly  improved. 

4.  It  is  gratifying  to  note  that  there  are  a number  of  in- 
stances of  very  successful  business  enterprises  being  con- 
ducted on  special  lines  by  colored  people.  It  would  be  well 
if  these  successful  ventures  could  be  brought  to  the  more 
general  attention  of  the  public  through  the  press  and  other- 
wise. It  has  been  disappointingly  difficult  to  ascertain  the 
facts  in  regard  to  the  amount,  extent  and  variety  of  life  in- 
surance carried  by  colored  people.  It  is  desirable  that  a 
further  survey  be  made  of  this  field  and  that  the  indifference 
of  life  insurance  companies  toward  colored  business  be  over- 
come. 


— 9 — 


Education 


1.  While  the  percentage  of  retardation  among  colored 
children  is  unusually  high  there  is  evidence  that  much  of  it  is 
due  to  the  lack  of  educational  facilities  in  the  southern  dis- 
tricts from  which  most  of  the  Negro  migrants  have  come. 
There  is  considerable  difference  in  the  percentage  of  retarda- 
tion between  children  of  northern  and  of  southern  birth,  so 
that  an  improvement  in  the  standing  of  colored  children  may 
be  expected  as  the  benefits  of  superior  educational  advantages 
make  themselves  felt  in  the  first  and  the  second  generations. 

2.  The  Board  of  Education  is  expanding  its  classes  for 
children  who  are  retarded  three  years  or  more.  A further 
development  of  such  classes  will  greatly  benefit  Negro  chil- 
dren who  have  come  to  the  city  without  educational  advan- 
tages. It  is  taken  for  granted  of  course  that  such  classes, 
while  of  special  advantage  to  Negro  children  of  southern  birth, 
will  always  be  available  for  retarded  children  of  any  race. 

3.  The  number  of  colored  teachers  employed  in  the 
schools  of  Detroit  is  not  great.  While  the  committee  would 
not  suggest  that  racial  groups  are  entitled  to  teachers  in  pro- 
portion to  the  number  of  children  of  the  group  in  the  schools, 
it  is  nevertheless  obvious  that  a larger  number  of  colored 
teachers  could  profitably  be  employed  in  the  school  system. 
There  is  no  evidence  of  overt  discrimination  against  colored 
applicants  for  positions.  The  small  number  of  teachers  is  un- 
doubtedly due  to  the  fact  that  the  majority  of  our  Negro 
population  have  had  so  few  educational  advantages  that  the 
group  as  a whole  is  handicapped  in  producing  its  quota  of 
teachers  who  are  able  to  pass  the  high  requirements  of  the 
Detroit  schools. 

The  committee  does  not  presume  to  say  that  lack  of  dis- 
crimination on  the  part  of  the  School  Board  and  the  adminis- 
tration inevitably  implies  that  there  are  no  cases  of  covert  dis- 
crimination in  the  application  of  general  policies  to  specific 
cases  by  individual  administrators.  Race  prejudice  being 
what  it  is,  such  discrimination  probably  does  occur  in  in- 
dividual instances.  There  are  no  colored  teachers  in  high 
schools  and  none  in  supervisory  positions.  The  committee 
hopes  that  the  school  administration  will  make  every  effort 
to  give  capable  and  experienced  teachers  of  the  colored  race 
a fair  opportunity  to  aspire  to  such  positions.  No  doubt  both 
the  schools  and  the  individuals  for  such  preferment  would 
have  to  be  carefully  chosen  at  first. 

4.  The  pressure  of  time  has  made  our  survey  on  education 
rather  incomplete  compared  with  other  aspects  of  race  rela- 


-10- 


Health 


1.  Colored  patients  are  admitted  to  most  of  the  hospitals 
of  the  city.  Where  discrimination  occurs  it  is  usually  sporadic 
and  is  frequently  due  to  specific  cases  of  irritation  on  the  part 
of  white  patients.  There  is  a tendency  in  some  hospitals  to 
keep  the  number  of  Negro  patients  down  to  a certain  propor- 
tion of  the  total  bed  capacity.  In  the  case  of  a few  private 
hospitals  colored  patients  are  either  not  admitted  or  their 
reception  is  very  generally  discouraged. 

2.  Facilities  for  the  care  of  unmarried  Negro  mothers  are 
inadequate.  This  is  particularly  true  of  cases  involving 
venereal  diseases.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  proposed  united 
campaign  for  women’s  institutions  will  supply  this  lack  in 
the  institutional  equipment  of  the  city. 

3.  The  Board  of  Health  is  to  be  commended  for  its  pro- 
gram of  maternity  education  and  its  encouragement  of  the 
hospitalization  of  maternity  cases.  This  has  probably  been 
the  chief  cause  of  an  appreciable  decrease  in  infant  mortality 
in  the  Negro  community  from  1920  to  1925. 

4.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  total  hospital  bed  capacity 
is  inadequate  for  the  needs  of  the  city,  it  would  be  an  ad- 
vantage to  the  c;.ty  as  well  as  to  the  colored  community  if 
Dunbar  Hospital  could  be  materially  enlarged,  or  possibly  a 
new  hospital  project,  catering  particularly,  but  not  exclu- 
sively, to  colored  people,  could  be  initiated.  It  might  be 
possible  to  interest  philanthropic  friends  of  the  colored  people 
in  such  a project,  provided  the  highest  scientific  standards  for 
the  institution  could  be  guaranteed.  This  end  might  be 
achieved  by  the  organization  of  a mixed  directorate  and  mixed 
staff  at  least  for  some  years  to  come.  Among  other  advan- 
tages such  a project  would  help  to  solve  the  problem  of  pro- 
viding adequate  training  for  a larger  number  of  colored 
interns  and  colored  nurses.  The  hospital  could  function  with- 
out eliminating  the  need  of  or  discouraging  the  service  of 
other  hospitals  to  the  Negro  people. 


tions  in  the  city.  We  suggest  that  the  Board  of  Education 
might  profitably  detail  some  competent  person  to  make  a care- 
ful investigation  of  race  conditions  in  our  schools,  as  they 
involve  both  teachers  and  pupils,  to  the  end  that  where  sus- 
picion of  discrimination  has  been  created  it  may  be  allayed 
where  it  is  unjustified  and  its  cause  may  be  abolished  where 
it  is  justified. 


- li  - 


Recreation 


1.  The  Department  of  Recreation  has  an  excellent  record 
of  service  to  the  colored  people.  It  has  made  its  facilities 
available  to  them  and  has  increased  its  Negro  force  to  keep 
pace  with  the  growing  colored  population.  On  the  whole, 
there  is  comparatively  little  race  friction  in  the  recreational 
life  of  the  city  under  the  department’s  supervision.  The 
chief  exception  is  in  the  matter  of  swimming  in  indoor  pools 
where  mixed  bathing  unfortunately  becomes  the  occasion  of 
unpleasant  incidents.  Difficulties  seem  to  be  confined  to  cer- 
tain indoor  pools  and  have  not  occurred  at  outdoor  beaches. 
The  department  is  making  every  effort  to  preserve  the  legal 
rights  of  the  colored  group  and  at  the  same  time  to  make  its 
facilities  available  for  all  groups  with  the  least  possible 
friction. 

2.  There  is  a serious  lack  of  summer  camping  facilities 
for  Negroes,  particularly  for  women  and  children.  We  sug- 
gest that  the  Recreation  Department  and  existing  private  and 
public  agencies,  both  colored  and  mixed,  give  this  matter  their 
immediate  attention.  Race  prejudice  in  country  communities 
adjacent  to  possible  camp  sites  adds  special  difficulty  to  the 
problem  of  providing  fresh  air  facilities  for  the  Negro  people 
of  the  congested  districts. 

3.  We  suggest  that  institutions  such  as  the  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
which  possess  camping  facilities,  make  these  available  for 
certain  periods  for  colored  people  under  the  same  conditions 
which  apply  to  their  other  camp  periods.  The  acquisition  of 
additional  camping  facilities  for  the  use  of  colored  people  by 
such  agencies,  is  also  highly  to  be  desired. 

4.  Since  the  High  street  community  center  is  to  be  razed 
we  recommend  that  the  Department  of  Recreation  and  the 
administration  take  steps  to  provide  an  adequate  substitute 
for  this  social  center  in  a district  heavily  populated  by  Negro 
people.  If  the  Ginsburgh  library  is  to  be  abandoned  by  the 
Library  Commission  we  suggest  that  this  building,  with  the 
addition  of  a gymnasium  and  swimming  pool,  might  well 
serve  this  purpose. 


- 12 


Industry 


1.  The  progress  of  the  Negro  in  the  industrial  life  of  the 
city,  following  the  large  migrations  since  the  war,  has  been 
most  creditable.  Many  of  the  largest  employers  of  labor  re- 
port that  their  efficiency  equals  that  of  other  workers  in  the 
same  type  of  work.  They  are  gradually  making  their  way 
into  the  skilled  trades.  Employers  who  follow  the  practice 
of  not  employing  Negroes  might  well  consult  the  experience 
of  those  employers  who  have  employed  Negroes  in  large  num- 
bers and  usually  report  very  favorably  on  their  general  effici- 
ency. There  is  little  evidence  of  wage  discrimination  against 
Negroes  in  the  factories,  partly,  no  doubt,  because  most 
Negroes  are  employed  in  the  unskilled  trades  in  which  wage 
rates  are  low  for  both  white  and  colored. 

2.  Negro  women  are  under  special  disadvantage  in  secur- 
ing employment  in  this  city.  There  is  comparatively  little 
employment  for  women  of  any  race  in  the  metal  industries  of 
the  city  and  in  the  commercial  establishments  the  general  race 
prejudices  of  the  public  have  resulted  in  almost  universal  dis- 
crimination against  colored  saleswomen.  Domestic  service, 
which  in  other  cities  offers  some  outlet  for  colored  women 
workers,  is  also  restricted  here.  The  moral  consequences  of 
this  situation  are  very  grave. 

3.  Commercial  employers  of  broad  social  sympathies 
could  render  a great  service  to  the  welfare  of  the  race  and 
the  entire  community  if  they  would  undertake  to  open  up 
such  opportunities  for  employment  for  colored  women  as 
would  be  least  likely  to  aggravate  the  prejudices  of  the  public. 

4.  We  suggest  that  social  agencies  adapted  for  the  task, 
preferably  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.,  be  entrusted  with  the  organization 
of  a vocational  school  for  colored  girls,  specializing  in  domes- 
tic science,  the  household  arts  and  home  nursing.  There  is 
at  present  a lack  of  training  among  colored  girls  and  there 
is  no  agency  to  develop  and  to  certify  the  ability  of  applicants 
for  positions. 

5.  Trade  school  facilities,  especially  adapted  to  the  needs 
of  colored  boys,  is  urgently  needed  in  the  city  and  we  sug- 
gest that  the  Board  of  Education  give  this  matter  its  attention. 

6.  While  there  is  some  objection  in  labor  circles  to  the 
subsidizing  of  the  employment  office  of  the  Urban  League  by 
the  employers,  there  is,  on  the  other  hand,  a widespread  dis- 
crimination. either  overt  or  covert,  against  Negroes  in  many 
labor  unions,  which  forces  the  Negroes  to  secure  employment 
wherever  or  however  they  can.  Unions  which  do  not  dis- 
criminate against  Negroes  report  that  they  are  loyal  and  co- 
operative members  of  the  union. 


- 13  - 


The  Church 


1.  Since  the  church  is  the  most  important  institution  in 
the  life  of  the  Negro  people  it  is  very  necessary  that  the 
various  church  groups  cooperate  more  effectively  in  their 
common  tasks.  While  cooperative  ventures  have  developed 
materially  in  recent  years,  denominational  feeling  still  seems 
to  run  very  high  in  the  Negro  churches.  As  a result  the 
Negro  churches  are  not  as  effective  in  meeting  their  common 
problems  and  those  of  the  Negro  community  as  they  would 
be  under  a policy  of  more  generous  cooperation.  We  suggest 
that  steps  be  taken  by  the  leaders  of  the  Negro  churches  to 
organize  an  effective  agency  of  church  cooperation. 

2.  Such  an  agency  of  the  Negro  churches  might  do  much 
to  eliminate  irresponsible  religious  organizations  which  enjoy 
a mushroom  growth  in  the  city.  These  organizations  gener- 
ally lack  stability  and  discipline  in  their  group  life;  the  moral 
fruits  of  their  religious  fervor  are  frequently  jeopardized  by 
a type  of  hysteria  which  issues  in  social  phenomena  of  dubious 
ethical  value.  The  leadership  in  these  groups  is  usually  with- 
out adequate  educational  equipment  and  free  of  any  kind  of 
supervision  or  discipline.  These  irresponsible  churches  tend 
to  work  an  injustice  upon  the  well  disciplined  and  ably  led 
Negro  churches  by  seeming  to  justify  judgments  on  the  part 
of  casual  observers  against  the  Negro  church  as  a whole, 
which  the  total  facts  do  not  warrant. 

3.  The  Negro  churches  are  in  desperate  need  of  more 
equipment.  Only  a few  of  the  churches  have  facilities  for 
their  social  life.  Many  of  the  congregations  are  able  to 
accommodate  only  a fraction  of  the  people  who  desire  to  wor- 
ship with  them.  Their  need  ought  to  be  a serious  challenge 
to  the  white  churches  which  annually  raise  thousands  of 
dollars  not  only  for  foreign  missions  but  for  church  extension 
in  our  own  city  and  for  other  home  missionary  tasks.  Most 
of  the  larger  denominations  do  support  one  or  two  Negro 
churches  in  the  city.  The  Episcopal  Church  recently  con- 
tributed $60,000  to  the  erection  of  a church  house  for  its 
Negro  parish.  The  Congregationalists  are  helping  their  Negro 
church  acquire  a suitable  edifice.  The  Presbyterians  and 
Methodists  also  support  one  or  two  Negro  congregations.  The 
Detroit  Baptist  Union  is,  however,  the  only  denominational 
body  which  gives  financial  aid  to  Negro  churches  belonging 
to  its  general  denominational  group  but  not  in  organic  con- 
nection with  the  denomination.  Since  the  largest  Negro 
churches  are  members  of  autonomous  Negro  denominations 
it  is  quite  clear  that  the  aid  of  white  churches  to  single  Negro 
churches,  organically  related  to  them,  will  not  solve  the  church 


- 14  - 


Welfare  and  Community  Organizations 

1.  A survey  of  the  welfare  organizations  reveals  inade- 
quate facilities  for  the  care  of  the  children  of  colored  working 
mothers.  We  suggest  that  the  Urban  League  and  the  Com- 
munity Union  give  particular  attention  to  the  establishment 
of  additional  day  nurseries,  accessible  to  colored  children. 

2.  Several  private  agencies  having  a large  percentage  of 
colored  clients  need  additional  colored  workers.  We  suggest 
that  the  Visiting  Housekeepers’  Association,  the  Visiting 
Nurses’  Association,  the  Children’s  Aid  Society  and  the  Girls’ 
Protective  League  secure  additional  competent  colored  social 
workers. 

3.  In  view  of  the  favorable  experience  of  private  social 
agencies  and  the  Department  of  Public  Welfare  in  the  use  of 
colored  social  workers,  we  suggest  to  the  Juvenile  Court  that 
it  reconsider  its  present  policy  of  not  using  colored  social 
workers.  They  might  be  particularly  useful  in  dealing  with 
colored  clients  in  the  Mothers’  Pension  Department  and  in 
treating  delinquency. 

4.  Some  of  the  outlying  Negro  districts,  particularly  River 
Rouge-Ecorse,  Inkster,  Thaddeus-West  Jefferson,  Wabash, 
Eight  Mile  Road,  Nevada-Conant  and  Quinn  Road,  are  not 
receiving  the  attention  from  welfare  organizations  which 
older  and  more  centrally  located  districts  enjoy.  We  suggest 
that  the  Community  Union  survey  these  districts  as  quickly 
as  possible  in  order  to  determine  their  social  needs.  We  also 
believe  it  necessary  that  the  Urban  League  take  steps  to 
organize  community  organizations  in  these  districts,  through 
which  both  the  general  needs  of  the  community  and  specific 
cases  of  distress  may  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  proper 
authorities  and  agencies. 

5.  The  records  of  the  Department  of  Public  Welfare  indi- 
cate that  a very  large  number  of  Negroes,  most  of  them  recent 
immigrants  from  southern  rural  homes,  are  not  yet  adjusted 
to  northern  urban  life  and  are  frequently  reduced  to  depend- 
ency. While  immediate  aid  is  given  to  them  and  is  no  doubt 
necessary,  it  may  easily  aggravate  pauperization,  particularly 


erection  problem  of  the  Negro  churches.  We  believe  that 
this  is  a problem  which  ought  to  seriously  engage  the  white 
churches  of  the  city  and  we  recommend  that  a special  meet- 
ing of  the  white  and  Negro  church  leaders  be  held  to  survey 
the  whole  problem. 


-15- 


since  many  in  this  class  take  dependency  for  granted.  More 
trained  Negro  case  workers,  experienced  in  the  problems  of 
this  group,  are  necessary  so  that  the  case  load  of  each  worker 
may  be  reduced  sufficiently  to  permit  attention  to  the  problem 
of  individual  and  family  rehabilitation.  We  suggest  that  the 
Department  of  Public  Welfare  consider  the  advisability  of 
organizing  and  consulting  with  case  committees  of  representa- 
tive Negro  citizens. 

6.  The  Young  Women’s  Christian  Association  is  so  con- 
stituted that  practically  all  Negro  women  of  Detroit  are  elig- 
ible to  its  membership.  Religiously  it  is  sympathetic  to  the 
ideals  of  an  overwhelming  majority  of  Negro  women.  Both 
its  recreational  and  educational  program  need  expansion 
which  is  possible,  however,  only  through  the  provisions  of 
more  adecpiate  physical  facilities.  The  present  equipment  is 
hopelessly  inadequate  for  its  task  and  the  staff  is  too  small. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  building  campaign  of  the  Y.  W.  C. 
A.  will  make  adequate  provision  for  the  expansion  of  the 
facilities  of  the  Negro  branch. 

7.  The  Urban  League  is  the  one  recognized  organization 
for  official  co-operation  of  white  and  colored  groups  in  the 
city.  It  also  offers  a common  meeting  ground  for  all  colored 
groups  and  it  is  the  organization  through  which  special  pro- 
jects for  improving  health  and  recreation  and  for  fostering 
art  and  other  forms  of  expression  have  been  initiated. 

The  work  of  the  Urban  League  is  carried  on  in  a small 
downtown  office  on  St.  Antoine  street  where  the  executive 
and  employment  office  is  located  and  in  the  Columbia  com- 
munity center  where  there  are  facilities  for  recreational,  clin- 
ical, musical  and  other  group  activities  and  where,  upon  occa- 
sion, professional,  business  and  college  alumni  groups  meet. 
The  Columbia  community  center  is  the  only  social  service 
center  entirely  manned  by  Negroes  which  is  not  connected 
with  specific  religious  organizations.  In  view  of  the  large 
growth  of  the  city  and  the  proportionately  larger  growth  and 
complexity  of  the  Negro  group  the  physical  equipment  of  the 
Urban  League  is  totally  inadequate.  A well  planned  and 
furnished  building  for  the  League  is  an  urgent  necessity. 
Considering  the  newness  of  the  Colored  community  and  the 
relative  poverty  of  its  members  it  is  earnestly  to  be  hoped 
that  some  generous  friend  of  the  Negro  people  will  undertake 
the  financing  of  such  a building. 


16 


I 


lo  ~ 

I CJ 

I •—  — I 


\ 


